This invention relates in general to stackable trays, such as can be used to store and transport various types of manufactured envelope products. In particular, this invention relates to stackable trays that can be stacked and retrieved with relative ease.
Corrugated boxes are typically used in the envelope processing and printing industries for storing and transporting large quantities of envelopes and other types of stationary products. However, there are a number of drawbacks with the use of corrugated boxes in these industries. For example, when a plurality of corrugated boxes are filled with envelopes and then stacked on top of one another, the boxes near the bottom of the stack have a tendency to buckle under the weight of the boxes stacked above. In addition, differently sized corrugated boxes are used for differently sized envelopes. As such, it can be somewhat difficult to stack the various sized boxes in an efficient manner. Corrugated boxes also have a limited usable life and, therefore, are usually discarded and replaced on a regular basis, which can have a negative impact on the environment. It has also been found that corrugated boxes are not generally compatible for use with automated stacking and retrieval systems. Thus, it would be desirable to provide stackable and reusable trays that are durable, suitable for envelopes of varying sizes, environmentally friendly, and compatible for use with an automated stacking and retrieval system. It would also be desirable to provide trays that enable the storing, stacking, and transporting of envelopes without any weight or pressure being applied to the actual envelopes on lower layers of a skid or other supporting and transporting device.